


Chasing Shooting Stars

by BigBlueKitty



Series: Lost and Found [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters: Black & White | Pokemon Black and White Versions
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Happy Ending, Introspection, Post-Canon, Reunions, Reunited and It Feels So Good, Sequel, Touko cries a lot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-22
Updated: 2016-05-22
Packaged: 2018-06-10 02:24:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6934345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BigBlueKitty/pseuds/BigBlueKitty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two years ago, N told her to make her dream come true and she did. Now she has a new dream.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chasing Shooting Stars

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote a sequel because open endings make me sad.
> 
> Edit: Changed the title to something more fitting

 

Touko's xtransceiver falls off somewhere over Ilex Forest, prompting a futile search through the dense foliage. Even with Leavanny guiding her (though how the Pokemon knows his way around a forest he’s never been in, in a region he’s never been to, Touko will never know), the device eludes her, leaving her without a map or a phone.

It’s probably not the best way to start her latest journey.

After several hours of walking, not that she can really be sure since she doesn’t have a watch anymore, Touko’s stomach growls so loudly it actually scares a hoard of resting Zubat from the trees. Leavanny turns to her with such a concerned look Touko can’t help but feel bad for worrying him.

“Okay, okay,” she says with a sigh. “Maybe it’s time to take a rest.”

Touko releases the rest of her team from their balls. She takes a seat in the grass and watches as Leavanny immediately sets about making flower crowns for everyone while Zekrom tries to help. (It quickly realizes that its hands are far too large to work with such delicate material. Leavanny does his best to console the dragon. The whole exchange is the cutest thing Touko's ever seen.)

Samurott props himself against Touko's back, letting her lean on him. Of course, it’s all a ruse so he can steal a pecha berry from her pocket. She doesn’t mind, though. It’s his way of making her smile, she knows. All of her Pokemon have been doing it as of late.

So, she smiles affectionately, gives him a gentle bop on the nose, and lets him enjoy his treat. Of course, then Galvantula decides she wants one, too, and it’s pretty much a free for all after that.

Bellies full, Touko's Pokemon curl up together, content to nap or simply bask.

Johto is, in a word, peaceful.

Old-fashioned isn’t quite how Touko would describe the region, especially not with a city like Goldenrod on its map. Traditional might be better.

Vast forests and wooden buildings with tiled rooftops and sliding doors give the region a feeling of being stuck in time. Some things are more modernized – Pokemon Centers and certain gyms and the aforementioned Goldenrod – but overall, the entire region feels untouched by newer technology.

Touko glances at the Pokemon resting around her. Ilex Forest is quiet and soothing with a gentle breeze that never feels too strong or too cold. It’s the kind of place where it’s easy to get lost if you’re not careful.

In the late afternoon sunlight, long shadows dancing along the thick undergrowth, Touko wouldn’t mind losing herself here for a little while.

She knows she’ll need to find a Pokemon Center soon. She’ll need to call her friends to tell them about her xtransceiver lest she give Cheren _another_ heart attack.

Bianca had, predictably, freaked out when she noticed Touko missing. She’d called somewhere over the ocean, shouting in a frantic mess about kidnapping and more evil organizations bent on world domination. It had taken Touko almost a half hour to calm her.

Then Cheren entered the conversation and it took Touko another hour to calm _him_ (and that’s not even including the lecture he gave her – a long winded rant on the merits of planning and how it’s common courtesy to inform your best friends before you take off to a whole new region that had taken another forty minutes for him to get through).

At least her mom had been relatively calm about the whole thing.

Touko decides not to think about the future right now. Instead, she takes out her badge case. It’s the same one she’s carried with her ever since the start of her adventure in Unova only now, it’s mostly empty. She’d placed her Unova League badges in a case on her desk the night she defeated Alder and hadn’t touched them since. At the time, there didn’t seem to be much point in them.

Now, Touko smiles at her newest badge – the Hive badge. Even with a full team of Pokemon Touko had never seen, Bugsy couldn’t do much to counter Chandelure. The Pokemon had taken an almost sick pleasure in watching each of his Pokemon faint one by one. It was kind of scary but Touko had been proud nonetheless.

She thumbs over the black and red badge and tries not to think about how she’s already two badges deep and hasn’t seen hide nor hair of N.

Touko sighs. There are still six more badges to go and an entire Elite Four to contend with afterward. Johto is a large region and Touko hasn’t even begun to really search yet. She has time.

Leavanny places a flower crown on Touko's head with a happy chirp. It’s then that she realizes the rest of her Pokemon all wear similar ones. She smiles.

“Wonderful dreams and ideals give you the power to change the world. If anyone can, it’s you,” she repeats to herself. This isn’t exactly changing the world, but it’s still important.

Zekrom chirps at her with what might be determination.

If anyone can find N, it’s them.

* * *

 

There isn’t a party waiting for her when she defeats the champion this time around.

Still, when Samurott, injured, exhausted, and their only hope, takes down Lance’s final Dragonite with a well placed Ice Beam, it’s nothing short of a celebration.

Touko bounds over to Samurott, throws her arms around his neck, and weeps silently into his fur. A battle like this – against a dragon tamer similarly determined and kind in his pursuits – is a familiar feeling for her team. Samurott nuzzles into the side of Touko's face, wiping her tears with his nose. He understands this feeling, she thinks.

Touko manages to dry her eyes before entering the Hall of Fame. If Lance notices any lingering wetness, he doesn’t say.

She and her Pokemon spend their last night in Johto in Ilex Forest, curled up together underneath the stars. They eat too much and they’re so loud, they startle the wildlife more than once. The whole thing is oddly reminiscent of slumber parties with Bianca and Cheren from her childhood.

It’s been a while since she’s had the chance to check in with them. Touko wonders if Cheren already has his own gym or if Bianca is still working with Professor Juniper. She wonders if her mom is worried about her.

She wonders if they’re ever mad at her for leaving them behind.

A shooting star catches her eye, breaking her train of thought. She smiles and reaches out for it, thinking it looks just a little bit closer now.

It’s not time to go home just yet.

* * *

 

So it goes across the world. Kanto, Hoenn, Sinnoh – Touko fills three more badge cases, meets a thousand people, and ten thousand Pokemon. She doesn’t beat every champion or even every gym leader the first time, but she keeps training and she keeps battling. With each new face and new experience, the longing in her chest lessens. With each victory, Touko finds it easier to celebrate even when it feels like so much is missing.

So it only makes sense that N would throw a wrench in all of that just as he had before.

It’s a sunny day in Santalune City. Touko's been in the Kalos region for all of three days and she’s already in love.

Kalos is a beautiful place, full of pretty colors and just the right mix of rustic modernism. Where Unova is industrial sometimes to the point of coldness, Kalos always has a warm feeling. It’s a wonderful in between of not too old, not too new. It’s grand yet homely, simple yet lavish.

Touko buys a new hat for Bianca the second she has the chance (and maybe indulges in a little something for herself). Leavanny decides everything would be prettier with more flowers so they sit outside the café, crafting bouquets and sipping tea.

She’s so wrapped up in her own contentedness, Touko almost doesn’t hear the news report from her neighbor’s Holo Caster (Kalos has Holo Casters; Touko silently promises to buy at least a dozen and make them a thing in her home region).

“Unova’s Opelucid City has frozen over,” the reporter says.

Touko drops her tea. The cup shatters but she barely notices. “Turn it up!” she shouts frantically, clambering over to her neighbor’s table.

Her neighbor obliges, mostly out of fear if the look on his face is anything to go by.

“A group calling themselves Team Plasma purportedly used some sort of ship to cover the city in ice. Though they’re true purpose is unknown as of right now, Team Plasma was once a self appointed Pokemon liberation group who-“

Touko stops listening. This can’t be happening. Can it? She dealt with Team Plasma two years ago, disbanded them after defeating N.

N…

He couldn’t be a part of this. Could he? He said Touko had taught him about the bond between people and Pokemon. He wouldn’t… he couldn’t just…

Touko shakes her head. It doesn’t matter anyway because her region is under attack again and they need her help.

In one motion, she recalls Leavanny and looses Zekrom. “We need to get home right now!” she shouts, jumping onto its back.

They take off, shopping bag forgotten.

* * *

Someone else deals with Team Plasma this time around and it’s too much of a relief for her to be upset with herself over leaving the region in the first place.

It takes her almost two days to fly to Unova from Kalos, even with Zekrom soaring at top speed most of the way. It’s two days in which she sleeps approximately three hours on whatever flat stationary surface she can find. Zekrom, similarly, is a bundle of electrified agitation. Touko wonders if it feels some sort of concern over its home or maybe it’s about the dragon that seems to have gotten caught up in this mess if the rumors are anything to go by.

By the time they land, however, that’s all there is – just rumors.

People tell stories of Team Plasma and how they fractured after N’s departure two years prior. They tell stories of dragons, one a beautiful white beast that flies on jet of fire, undoubtedly Reshiram. The other, though, a shell of a Pokemon as cold as ice, Touko had never even heard of.

Mostly, though, they tell stories of a young boy with long hair and a knack for understanding Pokemon.

As soon as she sees Opelucid is clearly not frozen, Touko takes off for Nimbasa City. There are no shooting stars in the sky tonight and she hopes she’s not too late.

* * *

N is standing outside the entrance to the Ferris wheel, leaning against a lamppost and looking equal parts embarrassed and disappointed.

Touko feels her heart thud in her chest and tears well up in her eyes. She wants to run to him and hug him and tell him that she missed him. She wants to punch him in the jaw and scream at him for leaving. She wants to grab him by his stupid white polo and drag him down to her level and kiss his lips until he’s not frowning anymore.

Mostly, though, she wants to ride the Ferris wheel.

She wipes her eyes and closes the distance between them.

N has two seconds to look surprised before Touko shouts, “Fight me!” Then he looks absolutely flabbergasted.

Touko can’t blame him. “Fight me,” she repeats, softer this time. “If I win, you have to ride the Ferris wheel with me.”

N blinks, slowly, like he’s just encountered an enraged Bouffalant and has no idea how to calm it down or if he’ll come out of the encounter unscathed. Then a wide grin breaks out on his lips and he nods. “Okay,” he says.

* * *

N’s team is almost completely different from the last time they battled. At the time, he never kept a Pokemon longer than he needed to, using those he found around the area that were willing to fight for him and then letting them go.

This time, they’re from all over. Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh – Touko think she sees every region somewhere on his team except Kalos and, ironically, Unova. They’re stronger and more well organized. Touko wonders if he’s had these Pokemon for a while or if he’s simply gotten better as a trainer.

There’s one Pokemon she recognizes, though, and she knows there’s only one way to properly handle it.

Zekrom greets Reshiram like it might an old friend. Reshiram, likewise, nods to his fellow dragon in understanding.

“Blue Flare!”

“Outrage!”

Reshiram falls to the super effective move.

N smiles as he recalls his last Pokemon. Touko does the same.

Despite everything – all the sadness and anger and two years between them – Touko confidently strides over and grabs N’s hand. She tugs him onto the Ferris wheel. “Come on,” she says, almost playfully.

N obliges, following her into the carriage.

* * *

Touko starts crying halfway to the top.

They take a moment to heal their Pokemon in silence. Then N looks up at her with that soft smile and tells her he missed her and Touko can’t help herself.

“I-I’m sorry!” N stutters, clearly unsure what to do with the sobbing girl beside him.

Touko hiccups and tries to tell him it’s okay, it’s not his fault, she cries all the time but she can’t. Suddenly two days of not sleeping and two years of chasing shooting stars catch up to her and she’s too worn out to hold back her tears.

N’s hands hover somewhere over her shoulders. He’s flustered and panicky and Touko finds it so endearing she cries harder.

Eventually, N wraps am arm around her shoulders and lets her cry all over his shoulder. Touko clings to his waist as if he’ll suddenly disappear. He doesn’t disappear, though. Instead, he rubs her back in soothing little circles until she calms down enough to speak.

“Don’t leave again, okay?” she whispers. She’s so tired she almost doesn’t see his face flush.

“Okay,” he says.

* * *

Touko must fall asleep on the Ferris wheel because the next time she wakes up, she’s in her own bed, holding onto her pillow for dear life. In a sleep induced haze, she wonders if last night had been a dream.

Then she goes downstairs in her pajamas and sees her mom, Cheren, Bianca, and N all sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and chatting.

Then she starts crying _again_. She thinks maybe she should be embarrassed about that or the fact that she’s in her pajamas in front of the boy she’s been chasing around the world for the past eighteen months but she’s not. All she can feel between her eyes stinging and her throat closing is complete and absolute joy.

Bianca sees her first. She runs to her and pulls her into a tight hug. Cheren and her mom follow soon after, each smiling and laughing and telling her they missed her and saying they’re glad to see she hasn’t changed.

N hangs back as they have their reunion but it’s only for a moment. Surprisingly, it’s Cheren who breaks off and pulls N into the group hug. He follows willingly, only looking a little awkward about being held by four different people.

Touko doesn’t care that the embrace is too crowded and warm or that no one’s arms really make it around her completely. In the mix of her friends and family and whatever N is to her now, Touko doesn’t feel like anything is missing anymore.

* * *

It’s almost the same as the night Touko defeated Alder. People visit and tell her how much she’s grown and Professor Juniper, Bianca’s mom, and her own mom drink too much and everyone is loud and happy and proud of her. She tells a thousand different stories of her adventures a thousand different times and she’s never felt so glad to be home.

N sticks close to her most of the night, probably not used to being around this many new people. So, it’s easy to notice when he wanders off outside. Touko follows him out, telling herself that he wouldn’t leave without at least saying goodbye first.

He hasn’t left, though. Instead, he’s sitting on the fence between the road and a field of wildflowers gazing up at the stars. Reshiram sits in front of him just as Zekrom had for Touko.

It seems fitting, then, that she release Zekrom from its ball and take a seat beside N.

He shoots her a curious glance but she just watches the stars shining overhead. Zekrom and Reshiram chirp at each other and Touko doesn’t need to ask N what they’re saying. She’s pretty sure she already knows.

They sit in silence for a while, just watching the sky. Silvery clouds sway like the flowers in the wind. Petals scent the air with lavender. There are no shooting stars tonight but that’s fine. Touko doesn’t need to make a wish.

“Hey,” she says, getting N’s attention.

She wants to say a hundred different things – why did he leave? Where did he go? How does he feel about her now? – but these questions seem pointless right now.

“I made my dream come true,” she says instead.

N’s eyes widen and then he smiles, brighter and sweeter than Touko's ever seen. He takes her hand and laces their fingers. Touko leans against him.

“So did I,” he says.


End file.
